R657-19-1. Purpose and Authority.

(1) Under authority of Sections 23-13-3, 23-14-18 and 23-14-19, this rule provides the standards and requirements for taking and possessing nongame mammals.

(2) A person capturing any live nongame mammal for a personal, scientific, educational, or commercial use must comply with R657-3 Collection, Importation, Transportation and Subsequent Possession of Zoological Animals.

(5) A certificate of registration is required to take any of the following species of nongame mammals in San Juan and Grand counties:

(a) Abert squirrel - Sciurus aberti;

(b) Northern rock mouse - Peromyscus nasutus; and

(c) spotted ground squirrel - Spermophilus spilosoma.

(6) The division may deny a certificate of registration to any applicant, if:

(a) the applicant has violated any provision of:

(i) Title 23 of the Utah Code;

(ii) Title R657 of the Utah Administrative Code;

(iii) a certificate of registration;

(iv) an order of the Wildlife Board; or

(v) any other law that bears a reasonable relationship to the applicant's ability to safely and responsibly perform the activities that would be authorized by the certificate of registration;

(b) the applicant misrepresents or fails to disclose material information required in connection with the application;

(c) taking the nongame mammal as proposed in the application violates any federal, state or local law;

(d) the application is incomplete or fails to meet the issuance criteria set forth in this rule; or

(d) the division determines the activities sought in the application may significantly damage or are not in the interest of wildlife, wildlife habitat, serving the public, or public safety.

R657-19-5. Nongame Mammal Species - Certificate of Registration Not Required.

(1) All nongame mammal species not listed in Section R657-19-4 as requiring a certificate of registration, may be taken:

(a) without a certificate of registration;

(b) year-round, 24-hours-a-day; and

(c) without bag or possession limits.

(2) A certificate of registration is not required to take any of the following species of nongame mammals, however, the taking is subject to the provisions provided under Section R657-19-10:

(a) White-tailed prairie dog, Cynomys leucurus; and

(b) Gunnison prairie dog, Cynomys gunnisoni.

R657-19-6. Utah Prairie Dog Provisions.

(1)(a) A person may not take a Utah Prairie dog, Cynomys parvidens, without first obtaining a certificate of registration from the division.

(b) A certificate of registration for taking Utah prairie dogs may be issued as provided in Subsection (i) or Subsection (ii), or Subsection (iii), if the taking will not further endanger the existence of the species:

(i) in cases where Utah Prairie dogs are causing damage to agricultural lands as provided in the rules of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; or

(ii) as provided in a valid Incidental Take permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under an approved Habitat Conservation Plan; or

(iii) as provided under a valid Incidental Take permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allowing take of Utah prairie dogs on specified private lands as part of an approved conservation agreement enacted between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the owner of those private lands.

(c) A person may apply for a certificate of registration at the division's southern regional office, 1470 North Airport Road, Suite 1, Cedar City, Utah 84720.

(d) A landowner, lessee, or their immediate family member, or an employee on a regular payroll and not hired specifically to take Utah prairie dogs, may apply for a certificate of registration.

(e)(i) A person, other than those listed in Subsection (d), may apply for a certificate of registration to take Utah prairie dogs as a designee of the landowner or lessee provided the application includes:

(A) an explanation of the need for the certificate of registration to be issued;

(B) justification for utilization of the designee; and

(C) the landowner or lessee's signature.

(ii) A maximum of two designee certificates of registration may be issued per landowner or lessee.

(iii) Each designee application shall be considered individually based upon the explanation and justification provided.

(f) An application for a certificate of registration must include:

(i) full name;

(ii) complete mailing address;

(iii) phone number;

(iv) date of birth;

(v) weight and height;

(vi) gender;

(vii) color of hair and eyes;

(viii) social security number;

(ix) driver's license number, if issued;

(x) proof of hunter education certification if the applicant was born after December 31, 1965; and

(xi) the township, range, section and 1/4 section of the agricultural lands where the prairie dogs will be taken.

(g) An applicant must be at least 14 years of age at the time of application and must abide by the provisions for children being accompanied by adults while hunting with a weapon pursuant to Section 23-20-20.

(h) After review of the application, a certificate of registration may be issued.

(i) A maximum of four certificates of registration may be issued to any landowner or lessee, including those issued to the landowner or lessee's designees.

(j) A certificate of registration shall be issued on an individual basis and shall be valid only for the person to whom the certificate of registration is issued.

(k) A certificate of registration is not transferrable and must be signed by the holder prior to use.

(l) If the application and permitting process is accomplished by U.S. Mail, the certificate of registration shall only become valid after a copy of the signed certificate of registration is received by the division's southern regional office.

(2)(a) A person may take Utah prairie dogs with a firearm during daylight hours or by trapping as specified on the certificate of registration.

(b) A person may not use any chemical toxicant to take Utah prairie dogs.

(c) In addition to the requirements of this rule, any person taking Utah prairie dogs must comply with state laws, and local ordinances and laws.

(d) A person at least 14 years of age and under 16 years of age who takes Utah Prairie dogs must be accompanied by an adult with a valid certificate of registration to take Utah Prairie dogs on the same property.

R657-19-7. Areas Open to Taking Utah Prairie Dogs -- #8212; Dates Open --Limits on Number of Utah Prairie Dogs Taken.

(1) A person who obtains a valid certificate of registration may take Utah prairie dogs only on private lands within the following counties:

(a) Beaver;

(b) Garfield;

(c) Iron;

(d) Kane;

(e) Millard;

(f) Piute;

(g) Sanpete;

(h) Sevier;

(i) Washington; and

(j) Wayne.

(2) Taking of a Utah prairie dog on any land or by any method, other than as provided in the valid certificate of registration, including any public land, is a violation of state and federal law.

(3) Any person, who is specifically named on a valid certificate of registration, may remove Utah prairie dogs, as provided in the certificate of registration.

(4) The taking of any Utah prairie dog outside the areas provided in this section is prohibited, except by division employees while acting in the performance of their assigned duties.

(5) The taking of Utah prairie dogs is limited to the dates designated on the certificate of registration. All dates are confined to June 1 through December 31, except as provided in Subsection R657-19-6(1)(b)(iii).

(6)(a) A person may take only the total number of Utah prairie dogs designated in the certificate of registration, except as provided in Subsection R657-19-6(1)(b)(iii).

(b) The total range-wide take of Utah prairie dogs causing agricultural damage is limited to no more than 6,000 Utah prairie dogs annually.

(c) If the division determines that taking Utah prairie dogs has an adverse effect on conservation of the species, taking shall be further restricted or prohibited.

R657-19-8. Monthly Reports of Take of Utah Prairie Dogs.

(1) The following information must be reported to the division's southern regional office, 1470 North Airport Road, Suite 1, Cedar City, Utah 84720, every 30 days:

(a) the name and signature of the certificate of registration holder;

(b) the person's certificate of registration number;

(c) the number of Utah prairie dogs taken; and

(d) the location, method of take, and method of disposal of each Utah prairie dog taken during the 30-day period.

(2) Failure to report the information required in Subsection (1), within 30 days, may result in the denial of future applications for a certificate of registration to take Utah prairie dogs.

R657-19-9. Unlawful Possession of Utah Prairie Dogs.

A person may not possess a Utah prairie dog or its parts, without first obtaining a valid certificate of registration and a federal permit.

R657-19-10. White-tailed and Gunnison Prairie Dogs.

(1)(a) A license or certificate of registration is not required to take either white-tailed or Gunnison prairie dogs.

(b) There are no bag limits for white-tailed or Gunnison prairie dogs for which there is an open season.

(2)(a) White-tailed prairie dogs, Cynomys leucurus, may be taken in the following counties from January 1 through March 31, and June 16 through December 31:

(i) Carbon County;

(ii) Daggett County;

(iii) Duchesne County;

(iv) Emery County;

(v) Morgan;

(vi) Rich;

(vii) Summit County;

(viii) Uintah County, except in the closed area as provided in Subsection (2)(b)(i);

(ix) Weber; and

(x) all areas west and north of the Colorado River in Grand and San Juan counties.

(b) White-tailed prairie dogs, Cynomys leucurus, may not be taken in the following closed area in order to protect the reintroduced population of black-footed ferrets, Mustela nigripes:

(i) Boundary begins at the Utah/Colorado state line and Uintah County Road 403, also known as Stanton Road, northeast of Bonanza; southwest along this road to SR 45 at Bonanza; north along this highway to Uintah County Road 328, also known as Old Bonanza Highway; north along this road to Raven Ridge, just south of US 40; southeast along Raven Ridge to the Utah/Colorado state line; south along this state line to point of beginning.

(3) The taking of White-tailed prairie dogs, Cynomys leucurus, is prohibited from April 1 through June 15, except as provided in Subsection (5).

(4)(a) The taking of Gunnison prairie dogs, Cynomys gunnisoni, is prohibited in all areas south and east of the Colorado River, and north of the Navajo Nation in Grand and San Juan counties from April 1 through June 15.

(b) Gunnison prairie dogs may be taken in the area provided in Subsection (4)(a) from June 16 through March 31.

(5) Gunnison prairie dogs and White-tailed prairie dogs causing agricultural damage or creating a nuisance on private land may be taken at any time, including during the closed season from April 1 through June 15.

R657-19-11. Violation.

(1) Any violation of this rule is a Class C misdemeanor as provided in Section 23-13-11(2).

(2) In addition to this rule any animal designated as a threatened or endangered species is governed by the Endangered Species Act and the unlawful taking of these species may also be a violation of federal law and rules promulgated thereunder.

(3) Pursuant to Section 23-19-9, the division may suspend a certificate of registration issued under this rule.